Defensive trobles as Djourou goes to Birmingham 10 August, 2007

Johann Djouoru has been loan out to Birmingham until January, it’s a good move for him as he’ll get plenty of first team football however it’s a bad move for us because we’re very thin in defence. I really rate Johan and I believe he would’ve got quite a few games but oh well.

Our back four is Sagna, Toure, Gallas and Clichy. That is a decent line up but say we get a couple of injuries, who have we got in reserve? Well there’s Senderos; he’s had a few shakey games but he can do the job well, hopefully he’s grown up a bit this year. That is about it as far as reserve centre-backs go, the rest are all reserves. At full back we have Traore and Hoyte in reserve and if we get desperate remember we’ve still got Eboue (who is now a winger). It’s centre back that I’m more worried about to be honest; in pre-season Song has played there and last season we saw Gilberto play in defence a few times so there’s also those two.

I suppose we can cope with Djourou but as I said the squad is looking a bit thin. The loan is only until January so he’ll be back for when everyone fucks off for the African Nations. Even still, so many loans until January get extended until the end of the season. Anyway he’s gone now, so we’re going to have to cope.

A bit of team news ahead of the Fulham game but you probably already knew. Gilberto is still on a break after his Copa America win and Adebayor is doubtful with a slight groin injury. I dont think Wenger will risk him. I’m guessing it’ll be that back for I mentioned above, then Fabregas, Diaby, Rosicky, Van Perise then either Eduardo or Hleb supporting RVP depending on what Approach Arsene’s going for.

I hope to get a proper preview up tomorrow but if I don’t, the match report should come Monday. Thanks for reading.

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I think it’s good for djourou to get some 1st team experience on loan he’ll be all the better for it when he returns. He actually has an option to extend the spell to the end of the season just like bendtner did last season and i fully extend him to take that option. I’ve been saying since the start of the close season that djourou will go out on loan and it makes sense as room has to be made for gilberto who will no doubt be defensive cover for this season from september when he is ready(if he’s still there). If we sign another central defender then i fear gilberto’s place in the side will be very questionable. There is no way on earth he’s going to be ahead of diaby and denilson in the running to partner cesc in midfield this season. Wenger knows more presence and fight is needed in the middle of the park and gilberto’s qualities as a holding midfielder are superb – but i hate to confirm the fact that he lacks presence and gets bullied pretty easily. Wenger acknowledges this fact and understands the need for even more bite in the middle which explains his pursuit for lassana diarra. All in all i cant wait for the season to start i fully expect us to beat fulham comfortably on sunday with eduardo most likely making his full home debut along side van persie. I expect both to get on the score sheet. As for transfers that will come another day i’m sure wenger will sign left wing cover sooner or later depending on whether he deems it’s necessary from what he will see durng the 1st few games this season…and possibly he’ll sign a centre back or a holding midfielder. I’m not worried about the fact only 3 centre backs are available, somehow I dont think we’re going to have a barrage of centre back injuries in two weeks before the end of the month. My fulham prediction – Arsenal 3 – 0 Fulham.

FUCKING MENTAL AINT IT WE DIDNT DO FUCK ALL LAST SEASON AND WE AINT MADE THE SQAUD NO BETTER AT ALL ONLY MADE IT WORST BUT ALL ARE RIVALS HAVE MADE THERE SIDES ALOT BETTER SO WHAT IF WE DONT GET IN CL NEXT SEASON WILL WE HAVE MONEY TO SPEND

Before jumping to irrational conclusions why don’t you wait and see what AW’s plans are. You think he would deliberately compromise his team’s chances this season just to please Birmingham? Maybe he plans to play Gilberto in that position so as to allow Diaby more playing time in the middle. He has to also find time for Denilson in the center of the park. Maybe he plans to bring in a new central defender or maybe he is confident that Senderos is a better compliment to either Torre or Gallas. One thing should be clear, however. The professor is no mad scientist.

Expect Rosicky and Hleb to alternate during the course of a match.
Who will be defensive mid, Famini or Diaby. I cannot figure out whether Wenger sees Diaby as more defensive or attacking. He can dispossess well and make strong runs into the box.

agree with solgooner, the gilberto at centre half experiment was a disaster and coincided with our season’s death last year. awful decision to let him go. song is so bad at center back he is atotal emabressment. whatever happend to competition for places?

After last season, anyone questioning Gilberto’s importance to the team just has no football sense.

I would go on about Dennilson age and frame, and Diaby’s inability to track back or his propensity not to win tackles but that can saved for a proper football discussion. That said, both of these players will be there in the future. Today, Gilberto is probably the first name Wenger rights in every game he is available, and rightfully so.

I must say Berry you sound like a Bitch. Clearly a fake or new ill educated gooner. We’ve spent more than 20 million and our rivals have always spent 3 to 10 times more! man u bringing expensive players is nothing new!

AW has his own way of managing the club. if you are after big names go support chelskie and real, clubs who doesnt need fans and could still do big signing. Liverpool have always spent big.

We are at a rebuilding phase. it took Man U 3 years to rebuild. they won last season without too many major singnings (Carrick the only player i can think of) compared to chelskie’s mulit million summer.

It’s not just the money. If you can’t get behind the Gunners and have lost faith in Wenger i’ll advice you to stop moaning and get yourself a spurs thong to wear during the match this sunday when we show the beautiful football that is accustomed to our game.

With Gallas and Toure as first choice partnership til january and looking fit. while having Sanderos as main backup not to mention Gilberto and Song as emergency covers, I dont think Djourou would get any playing time in the premiership til January. At least when kolo leaves for ANC Johann would have gain priceless Premiership sharpness to cover the departing kolo assuming Sanderos gets humbled by big ugly strikers and lose his confidence again.

Makes perfect sense to loan out Djourou until Jan. No point him staying and not playing and getting rusty.
Let him get some first team experience, then get him back when we cover during the ANC.
For all we know there’s a recall option on the loan, so if we lose any of Senderos/Gallas/Toure we can get him back if we need him.

Gonna miss the opening game on sunday, arsenal vs fulham gutted, Been checking if i can watch it on TV but sky setanta not showing game. Have access to the internet does anyone know of any links or anywhere will be able to watch game on sunday.

I agree jack. it’s a weird year, but in a way the most exciting. the last 2 seasons we’ve all seen wenger slowly bringing the youth along, sometimes to the detriment of the overall season. This is the year he’s finally jettisoned the last of the dead weight (ahem, ljunberg) and gone for it with the kids.

personally, I think we’ll be spectacular in spurts this year, with a few bad patches. next year, I think, will be the real test of wenger’s policy and overall vision.

i believe djourou loan deal is good for both him and the club. he is there to get ready for the january /february period when the african nations cup would take place, by which time he would have been toughened by regular playing time at birmingham city(bar any injury) and experience to prepare him to come in when toure and eboue leaves for the ANC in january. so no cause for alarm ‘cos it’s all well that ends well.

By letting Johan go out on loan it will not only mean that he gets more footballing time, but also that Senderos will get more playing time.

Wenger has again shown his shrewdness as this arangement will allow both our promising young centre backs to gain more experiance and develop further during the season.

We have Gilberto who has shown that he is quite able to fill in at centre back if needed, so to say we are short of numbers is daft.

solgooner – Senderos may be slower than Gallas and toure, but he is qualtiy in the air and in physical games, I think that he will be played in the games against the likes of Bolton and Blackburn – you have to admit he has been very good in pre-season.